Scorched By Guilt
by Murmurer
Summary: Things have began to settle down and boredom kicks in. Soren's rotting away just as much as the next person. All of that is changed when he receives word from his former teacher about a murderer: The Ebon Arrow. Will he lend his aid?
1. 1: The Letter

Soren tapped his fingers against his desk almost lifelessly. Ike still had him running errands – inventory checks, convoy management, document filing – but he still found himself having extra time on his hands. Sometimes he would pick up a dusty old tome written by some psychotic deranged sage or a philosophical mage knight. Either way, reading did little to quench his thirst for knowledge. He hadn't been able to finish his studies with his previous mercenary group before the war against Daein.

He had found little pleasure in that fake cheery band of wannabe warriors. And yet, for some strange reason, a woman with her talent had bothered to stick with them as their magic user. From her, Soren had learned many talents, including his mastery of Adept. Were he not so occupied with boredom drilling a hole in his mind, Soren would have sought for his teacher and even friend.

She knew of his lineage, and she didn't mind like Ike. Her name… it was… Kaethe. Kaethe had taught him a little about controlling the wind, but she had mostly rambled her quirky little stories in order to pass the time. Regardless, she held a special place in his heart. One that should have been filled by a mother.

Someone rapped at the door of Soren's office, causing him to jerk up in his seat. "Uh, Soren, it's Rhys. There's a letter for you." Soren opened the door cautiously and snatched the letter. He opened it in front of Rhys and scanned across the message.

_Dear Friend,_

_By the time this letter reaches you, I'll be gone. I decided that it was time for me. I would have to leave, just like anyone else would. I had stayed in one place for too long. I just want you to know that I'm quite proud of you. A hero of Crimea, my little student. Ah, it brings tears to my eyes. Mmm, moping has never been my style now has it? If only I had another chance. Once so that I could see brave little Soren._

_Signed faithfully,_

_Kaethe_

_P.S. That brainless twit who always pestered you about your eating habits? I fried him to a crisp. Heh, just kidding. Stay strong, Soren._

Soren's hand grew clammy. He rarely ever broke out in a nervous sweat. Could Kaethe had died out on the battlefield? That idiot, she would always fling herself in danger, knowing full well of her limitations. "Rhys, take this letter and burn it. Scatter the ashes in the darkest, vilest alleyway you can think of. I never want to read anything of the sort ever again."

Rhys was slightly taken aback by Soren's brusque comment. Soren handed off the letter and sat back at his desk. He took a piece of parchment and glanced over the letter again. More fan-mail from new recruits. Soren loved shredding fan-mail with his magic. Seeing the green gales born of his might pleased and comforted him.

Another knock came against the door. Rhys looked at the stranger and back at the letter. It was a woman dressed in a modest velvet gown and an auburn shawl. Her hair was as sleek as obsidian and her eyes the color of sleet snow; an icy blue. Rhys quietly stated, "Ma'am, if you are looking for the commander of this army, he is not available right now."

"Actually, I was looking forward to a reunion of sorts." The woman smiled gently at Rhys, and Soren's ears piqued up in interest. "You always misinterpreted my ambiguous words, didn't you, Soren? I wasn't going to die on you if that was what you thought."

Soren remained silent and waved a hand of dismissal at Rhys. The kindly priest nervously shuffled out of the threshold, continuing his busy runs as a replacement messenger. Rolf had mysteriously disappeared after Shinon came back to the castle with two bows instead of one. Boyd held his suspicions in high regard; he knew something was going on with that twerp brother of his.

As Rhys went out of earshot, Soren flipped open a tome, and raised his hand. A controlled cyclone focused on nothing but the woman whirled into being. As the lethal wind subsided, nothing was left scathed. The woman pouted and asked, "Is that how you treat me after all this time? It's been about a year, and you have the nerve to attack me. I'm appalled!" Another motherly smile came upon her face. "Oh, come here, you."

Soren didn't return the embrace, but he didn't budge in defiance. "Kaethe, why are you here?" Kaethe pulled away and chuckled. She patted Soren on the head cautiously as if she were touching a rare feline breed.

"Haven't you heard? I thought that one of Tibarn's flock would have told your commander by now. They're being hunted down. The Branded are being killed like beasts, like monsters." Kaethe closed her lips as Soren stared at the ground. She reached out for his forehead, and stroked the symbol that cursed his existence.

Kaethe stopped and paused, waiting for Soren's response. Soren glared at her and swatted her hand away. He turned around and crossed his arms. "Leave me be. I don't need your help."

The caring teacher glanced away and started for the door. "I don't want you to die, Soren. None of them do. Knowing someone will die is very painful. Watching them die is worse. Even if you don't want my help, remember the name 'The Black Arrow' if you wish to hunt him down. Logic can't always rule out emotion." Kaethe closed the door behind her and waited for the click.

Soren would lock her out of his life. Many people had done that. Several untrustworthy friends, distant family members, and an assortment of people who just couldn't understand why she cared so much. _It's how I repent. I knew how and could have saved someone. Instead, I selfishly watched them die. I refused to risk my own life. Now I do anything but think of my own. As a twenty-five year old, that's a pretty hard living._

But Kaethe didn't care anymore. She devoted herself to helping as many as she could. Kaethe rubbed her forehead and slumped against the wall across from Soren's office. She closed her eyes and leaned back. "A pupil trying to become a mage. Worked under a wonderful teacher. Met the nicest laguz ever. Black vivid eyes. She was very beautiful. Mmm… if only. To tell would only bring hurt. Such a kind couple. In debt…"


	2. 2: Former Ally

Kaethe fluttered her eyes open and yawned. A blue woolen blanket was draped over her shoulders. She smiled and glanced around the hallways. A mischievous glint sparkled in her eye. Kaethe spotted someone rounding the corner and reached for her magic tome. When she looked up again, nobody was there. Instead she felt a presence sneak behind her.

"Well what do you know, you're here as well. You had quite a reputation before joining that mercenary group. Isn't that right, Kaethe? I hope you've given up your old job." Kaethe turned around and saw a man cloaked in red, his mouth hidden and his eyes revealed no emotion besides amusement. He wore a red bandana on his forehead, and Kaethe saw the sheath for a knife by his waist.

Kaethe laughed and replied, "You could say I gave it all up for him. When I found out about him, things simply fell apart. I didn't have to avenge them anymore. I merely had to protect him. Besides, necromancy takes too much energy. Yet that doesn't stop you from assassinating people does it?" Volke shook his head and smirked.

The two users of disguise stared at one another. Volke reached for his knife as Kaethe touched her tome lightly. She would burn him into ash if he tried anything funny. Likewise, Volke was prepared to kill any threat to his current employer, Ike. Bastian still hadn't said anything more about that job after the war.

"Raised the dead lately?"

"Killed a figurehead lately?"

They asked their questions at the same time. Kaethe swerved around and saw a shadow of a passerby dance against the wall. Her ears caught the sound of light footsteps as Volke easily snuck away.

Soren ran his finger through the stack of paperwork he held in his hands. There were shopping lists, complaints, and job offers that required the Greil Mercenaries to be in more than one place at a time. They simply couldn't handle so much. Perhaps it would've been better to become the Royal Guard. Of course, Ike never did like the fame and fortune.

On another note, Ike would have earned some points with Shinon. Not that anyone needed to earn points with that arrogant jerk. Yet, Soren always did commend Shinon on his excellent marksmanship. If only that man were a bit more obedient. Then again, Soren would work him down as a slave. Retribution at its finest.

"Necromancy… assassinating people…?" Soren stopped once he heard those awkward tidbits of a conversation. He glanced at the wall and backed away slowly to avoid casting a shadow. Shame, he could barely hear it anyways.

Soren waited a while and heard more. "Raised the… killed a…?" Two separate voices spoke at the same time. His expression didn't go through drastic changes except for a cocked eyebrow.

The conversation stopped and Soren saw his shadow against the wall. He had been careless. He shook his head and pretended that he had just walked by. Slowly he eased into a normal pace but not before hearing, "Blast that man! At least he can keep his lips sealed."

Soren stared at Kaethe and waved slightly. She smiled at him and waved back. Soren fidgeted with his robes and finally pulled a piece of paper from the bottom of his stack. He thrust it in Kaethe's face and mumbled, "I wrote down some willing to help out. Don't expect me to be all sunshine and roses about this."

**Name: **Stefan

**Class: **Swordmaster

**Name: **Mist

**Class: **Cleric

**Name: **Ranulf

**Class: **Beast Tribe

**Name: **Volke

**Class: **Assassin

**Name: **Jill

**Class: **Wyvern Knight

**Name: **Soren

**Class: **Sage

A calm smile appeared on Kaethe's face. Soren watched her expressions, trying to read what she was thinking. A sudden glare of disdain crossed her eyes as she made her way down to approximately Ranulf's slot. Soren was curious as to why she wouldn't have wanted a laguz along.

Soren decided to take his chances and asked straightforwardly, "What's wrong with Ranulf?" Kaethe blinked and looked up from the assignment chart. She covered her mouth and bent forward giggling.

Soren stared at her oddly and subtly smirked. Kaethe had given away whom in the group she disliked. Soren had been skeptical as to why their enigmatic assassin wanted to come as well. Volke, in all his weird habits and ways, always asked for money. Whether it was picking locks or eating with others: **money**. And yet this time he asked for nothing.

Soren's former teacher was hiding something from him and he knew it. He didn't bother to ask. Soren opened the door to his office, grabbed the blanket Kaethe left on the floor, and slammed the door resulting in the jangling of a nearby chandelier. Soren huffed and dumped his papers in a stack beside the daily mail. It was shredding time.

Kaethe saw a flash of green light emit from under the door of Soren's office. She gulped and stared at the paper again. It wouldn't have hurt to look for them.

Several minutes later, Kaethe found herself in some wing on another floor. A sigh escaped her lips. She leaned against the wall and looked at the paper. If she could control a mischievous imp… _No, I gave that up a long time ago. Summoning is considered necromancy and you know it, Kaethe! Ah, where could that nice priest be?_

"Tsk, come on. That isn't how you make a bow." Kaethe watched a little boy run towards her with an oddly shaped stick in hand. He was wailing his head off. As he came by, Kaethe whisked him under her shawl and dabbed at his tears with her thumb. She saw a red-haired man pursuing the young boy. He scowled and glared at the boy. "Rolf, don't hide behind strangers."

Kaethe ruffled up the little boy's hair and bent down to his height. He rubbed his tearful eyes, but they just wouldn't stop flowing. "Rolf? That's a nice name. It sounds like the name of a warrior. You know? Like Rolf the Silver Light. What's wrong, little one?"

Rolf sniffed and held out the stick. "Sh-Shinon says it looks nothing like a bow! Wahhhh! Unkie Shinon, you're mean!" Tears splurged from his reddened eyes. Kaethe couldn't help but panic when she realized Rolf's name was on her companion list.

Kaethe looked up at the man and asked, "I take it you're Shinon?" Shinon scoffed and kneeled beside Rolf. He took the stick from Rolf and pulled a knife from his pocket. He started chipping away at the bent stick till it curved. He gave it to Rolf, and Rolf let out a whimper or two.

"…thank you. Yay! I wuv you, Unkie Shinon!" Rolf took the stick and immediately attached himself onto Shinon's leg. Kaethe gave a look that said 'need some help'? And Shinon reluctantly nodded. "Hmm?"

"My name's Kaethe. You'll be joining me on my quest. Will you help me find the others on this list?" Rolf took the paper and stared at it. He pouted and shook his head. Kaethe asked in a softer tone, "Why not?"

Rolf looked up at Shinon and jabbed the paper at him. "Shinon, you're coming, too!"

"Huh? Since when?" Rolf looked at Kaethe and winked. Kaethe laughed and nodded. Rolf kept on of his hands behind his back and counted from three. At three, both Rolf and Kaethe gave Shinon the puppy-dog look. Shinon stepped back startled and grimaced. He clenched his teeth trying to ignore us, but to no avail. He shouted, "Pah! Fine, have it your way."

Rolf grinned childishly and glued himself to Shinon's other leg. "Thank yoooo!" Shinon closed his eyes and shook his head. Rolf let go and snapped his fingers. "I can help you find everyone except for Volke. He's scary and weird." Kaethe chuckled at that comment. "Oh… Soren should know better than to add Ranulf. I think he's still helping out in Gallia."

Kaethe stared at the ground slightly dejectedly. It would have shown the Branded that they meant no harm if both parties came to help. Kaethe put on her best motherly smile and took the paper from Rolf's hand. She was about to thank him when an eager voice shouted, "Olly olly oxen free! I'm back, everyone!"

The three spun around and Kaethe noticed a blue-haired laguz walking towards them. She stared at him and immediately bowed down. Kaethe whispered to herself, "Don't remember, don't remember, oh please don't remember." _Beast tribe means laguz, you dolt! Ah, to be so calm and then flustered. Why do I remember this now? Damned idiot of a… It's all his fault! I have no right to speak or talk of laguz, oh…_

Kaethe looked up and found Rolf, Shinon, and the laguz staring at her. She flushed and began dusting herself off. "Do you know of 'The Ebon Arrow'?"

The laguz looked at Kaethe puzzled and replied, "Uh, name's Ranulf. What's yours?" Kaethe bowed her head thoroughly embarrassed.

Kaethe held out her hand and stuttered, "Ka-Kaethe. My f-father…" Kaethe shook her head and trailed off. She stared at her paper and gave it to Rolf. "I'm sorry. I need time to compose myself. Uh, p-please get everyone else to meet at um… is there a courtyard around here?"

A sly yet suave voice murmured, "I can take you there if you like."

Shinon pivoted on his foot and scowled. "Don't sneak up on us like that, murderer. Assassin, pah…" Volke chuckled and held out his hand for Kaethe. Kaethe cautiously took it and began following the mysterious rogue down the castle floors.

Kaethe looked back and waved at Rolf hopefully. She spun around to face what was in front of her. She glanced at Volke and mumbled, "Have you heard from my father at all?"

"Ever since he murdered your mother when you were four? No. He's still out there. You're lucky that couple took you in. They were killed as well though…" Volke stopped after seeing Kaethe's crestfallen expression.

Kaethe frowned that Volke had noticed, and brought a hand to her forehead, "Codenames from now on. Got it, Vandal?"

"Of course, Scorcher. Of course."


	3. 3: Am I Human?

**A/N: The previous chapter was in Kaethe's point of view to show a more in-depth example of her personality and goals. This chapter shall strictly follow into Soren's point of view and thoughts. I hope it wasn't too confusing. I don't want anyone to think this is some story starring some random person and not the FE folks. This story is for Senerio a.k.a. Soren!**

**P.S. It shall continue in Kaethe's point of view till the divider simply for the flow of the story. Thank you for understanding.**

Kaethe followed Volke to a stone bench underneath a blossoming tree. Each flower had seven petals. The flowers had a peculiar pink streak on their petals, unique to their species. One floated down due to the breezy spring wind and landed on Kaethe's head. She took the flower and placed it behind her ear.

The two sat down on opposite sides. Volke leaned against his legs and hid his face in his fists. He peered up, trying to think of something he could say. Kaethe stared at him curiously, but waited till he spoke first. Volke mused, "Have you found out The Ebon Arrow's identity yet?"

Kaethe replied quietly, "I'm pretty sure I have." Her eyes widened, "I gave him the wrong name! Tsk, too late now. Soren will have my head." Kaethe laughed with a hint of bittersweet joy. She blinked her pale discs of ice and sighed. Her mind was having a war without her. On one side, she wanted to hunt down The Ebon (Black) Arrow and strangle his neck. On the other side, she wanted to forget all this madness and go about as a wanderer.

"I've researched information on The 'Black' Arrow as you referred to him." A chill went up Kaethe's spine. Soren stood in front of her with a pamphlet tied by leather. All one had to do was poke holes through the corners of the pages, tie the pages together, and voila! One now had a book of sorts. "Ebon and black, how did one such as yourself misconstrue them?"

Soren watched his teacher fumble with her hand motions. Kaethe for some reason felt the need to reenact her words. Soren had always found it refreshing compared to an old cobbler who started off "You kids are so lucky these days…" or "When I was your age…"

Soren loathed the whole comparison between an elder's life and a child's. Did those senile old fools really think ignorant whelps of this generation cared about what they had to say? Soren didn't think of himself as an ignorant whelp so to speak. He was more of a traveling spirit who felt the need to criticize the lesser people of this world. Change didn't come from waiting. One had to do something in order to change.

In Soren's case, he liked to _change_ the way certain people acted. For all the sugar and honey in the land, nothing could help the sour and bitter truth. Soren preferred to spit out the sour bitterness than coming up with sugary honey garbage.

Soren waited ever so patiently. Kaethe retorted, "I make mistakes too, Soren. Don't think yourself so high and mighty. That shall be your downfall." Soren sneered and stroked the spine of his tome anxiously. _I don't need anyone to worry about me. Certainly not Kaethe! Why should people start to care now…?_

Soren glanced over at Volke curiously. He spun around and looked for more people. "Nobody else is here yet? You make for a poor commander, Kaethe. I honestly believed you could do better." Kaethe merely smiled, causing Soren's stomach to churn out of anger and frustration. She never flinched from the sting of his words; she never faltered from the lack of tact in his actions.

Kaethe's responses to Soren's decisions caused him to grow partially angry at her. The other feeling he felt was curiosity as to why she bothered to put up with him. More so then often, the curiosity of his mind won over the anger.

Something was behind Soren; he could hear footsteps approaching. Perhaps he had underestimated his teacher. Soren could see Rolf rushing forth with a group of mercenaries trailing behind him. "I found everyone but- Ah, there you are, Soren!" Soren narrowed his eyes and rethought how much credit Kaethe had. Yes, he had given just enough which wasn't very much to begin with in the first place.

Soren stared at the small band of people amassing before him. Everyone was accounted for. All Kaethe had to do now was make an announcement. Soren watched as she cleared her throat. Kaethe must have thought up an enormous bang. "Everyone, thank you for assisting me on this mission. As a certain member of 'intelligence' has told me, there is a man out there killing relentlessly. Innocents, of all ages, no matter where they are from this man is out there hunting his idea of prey. This killer goes by the alias The Ebon Arrow. He is a sniper no less and a crack good shot. A single arrow in between the eyes. Who else could have pulled off the shot?"

That comment caused Shinon to shift to one side uncomfortably. Soren assumed that Shinon thought he was being singled out from the others. Soren couldn't exactly blame him.

Kaethe continued, "Now then, the so-called prey. Most beorc don't know of their existence, but the laguz know of them quite well. The Branded, hybrids with beorc and laguz blood, are being killed and I've been unable to pinpoint the reason why. My friend in the field of intelligence thinks that The Ebon Arrow is indirectly trying to get another involved."

Soren raised his hand and answered, "The fool wants revenge upon an individual so he targets others to lure in his true objective." Kaethe nodded and Soren dropped his hand contently. Kaethe looked around nervously and stared at Soren.

Soren muttered, "Are there any questions?"

One hand went up. It belonged to Stefan, the green-haired swordmaster they had found in the desert of Begnion. On first glance a stranger might have thought Rolf, Boyd, Oscar, _and_ Stefan were all related. Such wasn't the case.

Soren nodded and Stefan asked, "What's you say about this predicament, Soren? Haven't you told anyone besides Commander Ike?" Soren stared at Stefan with wide eyes before resorting to a hateful glare. Stefan was unaffected and waited for an answer.

Soren spun around and closed his eyes. He grumbled to himself and raised his hand. A gust of cascading wind came down upon Stefan whom easily dodged it with grace. His speed truly did make up for his naturally low resistance. Soren resented that fact more than ever right now. "You want to tell them? Fine! Just shut up, and leave me alone, human."

Mouths dropped open and eyes grew wide. The desired effect had been accomplished. Soren would leave them pondering his intentions, subtly leaving behind clues, but never acknowledging the truth. They wouldn't and couldn't understand.

Stefan murmured under his breath, "I guess he's forgotten I'm a Branded as well."

Soren walked away silently, prepared to fetch the supplies they would need. Come to think of it, Kaethe didn't tell him where they were going. The phrase 'hopeless dolt' entered his mind and out. For a motherly sort of figure, Soren enjoyed disrespecting her quite a bit. Yet at times he caught himself going easy on Kaethe and Ike.

The harsh reality was that Soren was growing soft and he knew it. He wanted to do something about it. There was still pride he could salvage, but lately he had been letting it spill out of his palms. Each grain that fell represented each time he regretted an action of his. Soon Soren would act like an hourglass. He undeniably didn't want that to happen.

Weakness came from dependence. The concept of friends stemmed from dependence. Dependence sought to destroy his personality and being. He hated dependence and displayed that hatred fiercely.

_Now where are those darned vulneraries?_

Soren stayed a few paces behind the group. He scowled as one after another they looked at him. What was so weird about using the term _human_? It wasn't like discrimination had lost its existence. Everyone demanded so much of him. He didn't care about their needs so long as those few he trusted were fine. Ike and Kaethe. Older sibling and mother. That was his analogy.

So now the group was marching through a dense forest made all the thicker by the humidity. Half of the liquid on Soren's body came from the air and not sweat. A disgusting thought, really. Kaethe had gone off about The Ebon Arrow in Gallia's vast forests and jungles.

Not everyone was pleased with the idea of trekking through sticky vegetation. The one who hated it the most – whom was also irritating Soren with his endless objections – was Shinon. I hate doing this, I can't believe I'm doing that; a never-ending waterfall of complaining. Shinon could have been much crueler in Soren's opinion, but Ranulf was walking right beside Shinon.

Soren felt something run under his skin and looked behind him. He caught a glimpse of a black cloak and a black ribbon. A blur of white. He slowed his pace and scanned his surroundings frantically. Soren saw a sparkle in the distance and shoved Jill to the ground.

Soren shouted, "Ambush!" Everyone ducked as an arrow narrowly missed Soren's cheek. He was relieved the Jill had decided to leave her wyvern behind and come with just a lance. Jill was probably glad about that too. "Show yourself, coward!"

An archer sprang from a nearby bush and held a bow in his hands. He aimed it at Soren and caught his breath. On his right hand which kept his arrow in place, Soren saw the mark of the Branded. This boy's mark was a blue color instead of red like his own. The archer had an evident pair of feline ears and a grey tail. His hair was tied back messily in a ponytail. A pair of yellow eyes watched Soren's every movement.

The archer boy twitched his throbbing arm, and suddenly dropped his bow. He clutched his bleeding arm, surprised that he had been hit. Soren watched curiously as the boy ripped out the arrow, shaft and head, and snapped it in half on his leg. Soren's eyes met the boys and both were silent.

Soren held up his hand and Shinon hesitantly lowered his bow. "Since when did you become commander, whelp?"

Soren brought his hand to his forehead and pushed away his bangs. The archer boy gasped in shock. Soren didn't look back at Shinon, but he answered, "This boy is like me. I won't let you kill him. You for one would never understand." Soren kept his forehead clear as he moved towards the boy.

Quickly the boy grabbed his bow and strung another arrow. He hissed and aimed straight at the cursed symbol. "I'll kill you if you take another step, wretched human!"

Soren chuckled and raised his other hand, making a mild wind appear. The wind stripped the bow from the boy's hands and threw it against a tree. "Am I human?" A silencing hush fell over the group. The boy stared at Soren horrified and started to run. For some reason, Soren decided to pursue the boy.

This mission had turned out to be a nice break from his occupation as staff officer.


	4. 4: Silver & Scarlet

Soren ignored the worried calls of Mist and Rolf. He didn't answer to his name even when Kaethe was shouting it. Leaping over a huge clump of leaves, Soren fell into a lower area hidden by a tree root. He fell to his knees and scraped his palms. Soren grumbled and wiped the spotting areas of his palms on his robes. Blood oozed from the small wounds no matter how many times he wiped it away.

A hiss rang through the forest and Soren looked in that direction. He touched his tome lightly. He was prepared for the Branded boy. The first thing that moved would be ripped apart by a violent vacuum of wind. Soren stayed very still and looked in a different direction every few seconds for this reason.

In the corner of Soren's eye, he saw the glimmer of a steel arrow. He slowly walked away from it. When it whizzed through the air, Soren stepped away to the side and the arrow pierced the thick bark of a tree. Soren watched as the Branded boy charged straight toward him with his fists up. "That's a reckless tactic if your opponent can attack from a distance."

Soren flipped to a part of his tome tabbed with a red piece of paper. The boy halted and shouted, "Shut up!" He hissed like a cat and went on all fours. Soren stared at him bemused and raised his hand prepared to attack.

The arrogant magic-wielder warned, "This is your last chance. I have the ability roast you like a suckling pig. Don't throw your life away senselessly." The boy seemed to stop. Soren dropped his arm and a fist came in contact with his stomach. "That was dirty…" Picking himself up, Soren unsheathed a dagger and held it out in front of him.

The two glared at each other challengingly. First the boy leapt forward into the air. Soren slid under him and delivered a cut to each leg. The boy landed on his knees and elbows. He rubbed his eyes more than his wounds. "She's dead. My little sister is dead. It's all your fault-!"

Soren kneeled beside the boy and grabbed a bag of vulneraries from the pouch he carried. He handed them to the boy and showed him once more the symbol on his forehead. Soren picked up his dagger and cut his palm. The raw skin parted by the blade was bleeding profusely. Soren used his other hand to gently cut the boy's palm in the same fashion – a diagonal line through the center.

"See the silver flecks of our blood? It's the corruption of useless antibodies. They attack each other, laguz to beorc. Because of this, we Branded are hard to kill be infection. We have twice the white blood cells as any _normal_ being to make up for the useless ones. It's how we survive." Soren pressed his palm against the boy's. "My companions and I will not hurt you if you cast aside any and all hostility."

The boy stared at his bloody hand and winced. Soren dabbed at the wound with another vulnerary. Soren scoffed, "I try to help and it's no use. Without a name I can do nothing. My own kind hate me."

The boy hesitantly said, "Call me Zyan. You know, like the color?" Soren chuckled and Zyan demanded, "What's so funny?"

Soren murmured, "Cyan is blue. Should I be called Scarlet after my symbol?" Zyan blinked in surprise and started howling with laughter. Soren plugged his ears, and waited till one of the mercenaries would hear and find them. _By the name of Ashera, what have I gotten myself into?_

Soren watched Zyan scratch at his ears. The boy couldn't have been more than a year or two younger than him. Soren stared at his self-inflicted wound. The silvery flecks of Branded blood dried away faster than the rest. If anyone became suspicious, Soren would just say he had tripped on a root. It would wound his reputation a little, but the lie was plausible.

The humid air of the forest was proving to be too much for Soren. He felt drowsy and found himself closing his eyes slowly. Shaking his head vigorously, Soren demanded that his body stay awake. They literally weren't out of the woods yet. The Ebon Arrow might have been watching them.

Soren quietly asked, "What did the murderer look like?"

Zyan glanced at the ground and then at his palm. He flipped it over and stared with disgust at his symbol. "He had red-hair in a ponytail, wore a yellow cloak around his neck, obviously used a bow… That man who shot me!"

Soren asked incredulously, "You mean Shinon? That man hates laguz as much as the next untrusting beorc, but he would never go out killing the Branded. Are you positive, Zyan? Shinon is even friends with a hawk laguz." Zyan nodded indignantly and scowled at the scar left by Shinon's arrow. It was faint, but the line of raw skin was visible.

Soren grabbed Zyan by the arm and touched his wound. He stared at it suspiciously and tried to recall what happened a few moments ago. Zyan's bow was aimed at Soren. Shinon had done the first thing that came to mind – shoot. There had to be more than that to this misunderstanding.

Putting a tired hand to his forehead, Soren racked his mind for an answer. There were plenty of renowned archers in Tellius. One haunting comment stuck in Soren's mind: _"Oh… I'm sorry. Your parents are…? Sorry. What's that? My parents? Mother's a fire mage like me, but my father is an archer. I get my hair from my mother. Hehe!"_

Soren snapped his fingers and narrowed his eyes. "Kaethe's father."

"Kaethe?"

"Oh. She's like an older sister or mother. Picky as a sister yet as overprotective as a mother. It's a horrible combination." Zyan laughed at Soren's comment. Soren glanced around from the direction he came in. There was still no sign of his companions. Soren looked back and Zyan was gone. Birds shot from the trees without warning. A clump of leaves near the trees that used to hide birds began to rustle. Zyan leaped out of them with his quiver on his back and bow in hand.

Soren watched as Zyan took an arrow and shot down a piece of fruit from the branch of a mango tree. Zyan picked it up, dusted it, and handed it to Soren excitedly. _Quite a change in personality. First he wanted to kill me and now he's sharing fruit with me. I'll never understand it._ Soren peeled the mango with his knife and cut it in half gingerly. He handed the bigger piece to Zyan and chewed, savoring the fruit's unique taste.

Soren glanced beyond the foliage and saw a brown cloak. It had the same Celtic patterns as Kaethe's. The figure turned around and Soren recognized Kaethe's eyes among all the shadows of the forest. "I found Soren! Everyone, come over here."

Soren gave Zyan his hand and rose up. The two walked closer to the denser area of forest. Everyone stood ready and accounted for. "Zyan, this is Kaethe. Mist, Rolf, Stefan, Jill, Ranulf, Volke, and Shinon…"

Zyan stepped forth and dropped his bow. He held out his hands and muttered, "I'm unarmed. I won't resist. What do you want from me?" Everyone stared at Zyan curiously. Soren noticed how easily unnerved his new friend was.

Soren caught Volke staring at both him and Zyan. He glowered at the assassin and received a cold laugh. Volke spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "We don't need to search for The Ebon Arrow. He'll come for us. So long as the sage stays near us that is." Soren looked away too quickly, making his movement seem suspicious. Everyone who didn't know of his blood was now letting this new information slowly sink in.

Soren flinched when Kaethe put her hand on his shoulder. She hummed gently and Soren eased the slightest bit. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore his group. Soren used to ask Kaethe for this song, just for something he could focus on besides the cruel world against him. The soft melody was reminiscent of the heron galdr.

Soren opened his eyes and looked for Zyan. He was currently showing Rolf some techniques with the bow. At least they were getting along. _After meeting the laguz, I guess forgiving has become easy for everyone. How reckless… Did I just call myself reckless?_ Soren smirked faintly and dusted his robes.

Kaethe stopped humming and stared at Soren, "Well now, shall we get going?"

Soren eyed Kaethe curiously and finally asked, "What was your father's name?" Kaethe's eyes widened and her expression was one of fear. She began to tremble under Soren's stare. Without warning, Kaethe suddenly fell back and landed on the ground.

"It's finally taken its toll. Kaethe, you liar. You said you had stopped. Should have told me you were this frail," Volke muttered.

Soren held his tome underneath the assassin's throat and demanded, "What do you know about The Ebon Arrow?" Volke, for once, was taken aback by a question. That instantly put him under Soren's suspicions. Finally he was getting somewhere with this.

Volke stared at Zyan and then back at Soren. Soren cocked an eyebrow and Volke shook his head. "My lips are sealed until the contract is broken." Soren jerked his head as a gesture for Volke to continue. Volke sighed and retorted, "Unless the contract holder dies, the contract still remains valid. I'm hired as a bodyguard for life. Well… more like an advisor."

"By who?"

"Kaethe's father."

Soren blinked his eyes in surprise, but pursued in his interrogation. Ranulf for one was listening intently for the rest of his people. The others seemed utterly lost. "Who is The Ebon Arrow? You and Kaethe act as if you both know."

Volke stared at the ground with his eyes closed. In an emotionless tone he replied, "The Ebon Arrow murdered your parents first. Then he went on to murder Branded after the war had ended. Think of it as a delayed reaction to insanity." Soren stared at Volke disbelievingly. "Strange isn't it? One day he was friends with your parents, the next he lost his wife and decided to kill in a blind fury. Poor Kaethe didn't want you getting hurt."

Soren stared at his unconscious teacher. He placed his palms over his eyes and took a deep breath. "Why would a man suddenly start to kill?"

"After losing a loved one and having not been able to do anything… wouldn't it drive you mad as well?"

Soren shook his head and ordered, "That's enough talking. We should keep moving. Zyan, do you have any sort of shelter around here?"

Zyan's ears perked up in response to Soren's question. The boy answered, "If you mean a village, there's one several miles west. Follow me." Soren nodded and reached for a vulnerary in Kaethe's pouch. The herbs had a gentle aroma besides being able to heal wounds. They cured headaches quite nicely. He dabbed at her forehead and she slowly rose up. Kaethe, however, didn't say a thank you and started walking.

Soren kept note of that.


	5. 5: Introducing Hex

As the group began traveling deeper and deeper into the forest, Soren couldn't help but notice Kaethe's blank stare. Something about her had changed and it wasn't for the better. Soren walked closer and upon inspection, Kaethe's eyes were slightly red. Had she been crying?

Soren thought against it since they hadn't been walking for very long, and someone would've caught her crying. Perhaps she had been rubbing at an irritation. Soren shook his head again, for he knew Kaethe wasn't that careless. She always took the time to apply salves and protective lotions. If there was one person who didn't enjoy being bitten, it was definitely his teacher.

Their small band of warriors was beginning to get ahead of Soren and Kaethe. Either that or Soren had slowed down to Kaethe's half-hearted pace. He took this chance to consult with her. "Kaethe, you aren't acting like yourself. Is something wrong?"

Kaethe murmured, "Have you ever bothered to ask me about my past?" Soren didn't respond. Her question was an odd one indeed. Why would she bring up her past all of a sudden like that? "It's true. I delved in Necromancy. When the others wanted to wait for you, I went ahead and summoned an imp. It doesn't take much to make one obedient. Summoning one is an entirely different story. I always feel light-headed and woozy."

Soren said nothing and rubbed his knuckles against Kaethe's thick skull. She winced, but didn't complain. She knew she deserved it for being so foolish. Soren took a deep breath and stopped in front of Kaethe. He held his arms open and looked to the side. Kaethe embraced him for a quick second and her smile returned.

Flushed from embarrassment, Soren hid his face behind his palm and sighed. Kaethe was simply too easy to please. Soren started to catch up with the group, but Kaethe yanked at his sleeve. Soren waited for her and asked, "What is it now?"

Kaethe smiled softly with guilty eyes. She calmly said, "Soren, you may hate me after this mystery is solved. But do remember that I'll always protect you. And it's not to repent. It's because I want to. Heed my words." She took a breath and exclaimed, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect them for you."

With her ambiguous smile and cheery disposition, Kaethe waded through to the front of the group. Soren replayed her words over and over in his mind. As he rewinded the tape in his mind, events began to make themselves clear. Soren told himself that he would have to ask Volke what kind of a man Kaethe's father was, and to ask Kaethe how her mother died.

Soren looked around for Zyan and saw him conversing with Rolf cheerfully. Shinon pulled Rolf away from Zyan earning a few bawls from his student. The sniper was at a loss and left Rolf to play with the Branded boy. An annoyed growl emitted from his mouth when Rolf ran behind his legs. "Stop messing around!"

Rolf grinned and cried out, "Unkie Shinon!" Shinon smacked his forehead in frustration and flicked Rolf's head with his finger. "Owwie!" Ranulf and Mist began to erupt in laughter. Jill stared at Rolf and Shinon trying to hide her own chuckle. Volke was off in his own silent world and Kaethe giggled. Soren shook his head with sympathy.

Soren crossed his arms and began pondering Volke's words. _My parents knew The Ebon Arrow. They were close enough to have been murdered by him. Why would he murder them? Was the loss of his wife too great for him to handle? How did his wife die anyways?_

"Thinking hard?" Soren turned around and saw Stefan. How had that happened? Stefan was leading the group just a second ago. Stefan pulled against the collar of his jacket to show his red Branded symbol. "Those who resemble beorc have red symbols. Those like Zyan have blue symbols. Need my help?"

Soren thought for a moment about Stefan's decision to help. They didn't know much about Stefan other he had pretended to be hermit, and he knew how to wield the sword quite well. Was it risky to put his trust in the swordmaster? "I suppose you could lend your knowledge-"

"Murderer! Leave Rolf alone!" Soren recognized Zyan's voice accented by living a beast-like lifestyle.

"Pah, what's this? The little freak is calling me a murderer?" That snappy voice belonged to Shinon.

"You shot down Violet. I saw your cape and hair! The shadows don't hide everything, killer!"

Soren stared at Stefan asking if he could check it out and Stefan nodded. So Soren went further up the path where the argument had broken out. Zyan was busy swiping his hands at Shinon whom had taken Rolf's bow for some reason. Rolf was standing in the middle trying to stop them. "Zyan, I can always get a new bow. Besides, it is a little crooked. I'll make a better one!"

Zyan yelled, "That's no excuse for this jerk to make you cry!"

Shinon bellowed, "Rolf isn't crying. Mind your own business you insolent pup!" Soren clutched his forehead in annoyance. It was tempting to blow everyone away with a tornado, but then they would avenge themselves tenfold. Sure they would've stopped arguing, but only to team up against him. Soren didn't want to be the one caught in a rampage.

"All of you, silence! Rolf, Zyan, walk at the back of the group. Shinon, stay in front where we can all keep an eye on you." Shinon glared at Kaethe and hastily glanced away ignoring her. He tossed Rolf his bow. Kaethe closed her eyes and began to fume. "Listen to me or I'll send you to a premature hell!" Shinon huffed and stomped off to the front of the group.

Soren cocked an eyebrow and sighed. "Someone's grumpy. That's rare." Soren trailed behind the two boys and looked around for Stefan. The swordmaster apparently had disappeared. "Ranulf, do you know where Stefan went?"

Ranulf turned around as he walked and shook his head. "Sorry, can't help you there." Soren sighed and continued strolling.

Soon they came to a clearing. Zyan ran ahead and tripped over a rock jutting out of the ground. Kaethe rushed over to help him up. Soren grimaced. _That's what she did the first time we met. On my way to the mercenary group, I was bumped into by some inattentive idiot. Kaethe helped me up. _

Soren walked over to Zyan and stared at his palm. There were still signs of the slash Soren had made. Soren stared at his blue sash. He had seen the purple robes and yellow sash for sages, but he preferred his own clothes. Soren fingered the silky material and grabbed his knife. Gradually he moved his knife back and forth against the sash. It finally cut loose, and Soren wrapped Zyan's hand.

Zyan smiled and Soren stuck his tongue out blankly. "One time only, kid."

"Kid! I bet I'm older than you!" Zyan growled and pounced onto the ground. Soren took a step back and felt someone's hands on his shoulders.

Kaethe smiled at Soren. She looked at Zyan and pouted. "Nuh-uh. Bad kitty. You two be nice to each other." Soren grinned triumphantly as Zyan scowled feebly. "Soren…" Zyan laughed as Soren let out a grunt.

Rolf came up to Zyan and chased him further down the area. The two boys glanced up, one proudly and the other in awe as a sign of civilization came into view. "It's where I call home." Zyan rubbed his nose and sneezed.

Soren stared at the rundown huts made of thatch and vines. Remains of former buildings were leaning to one side in slumped heaps. Here and there were ceramic pots filled with possibly food and drink. A pot hanging above a fire rested in the center of the abandoned village. A sign of former civilization was more like it.

Zyan led the group to a single building that still stood. A sickly couple came walking out of the doorway. As soon as they laid their eyes on the Greil Mercenaries, they fled back into their house. Zyan ran after them, leaving Soren and the others curious. Soren walked around the back of the house and saw a grave marker – a mound of dirt sprinkled with flower blossoms. _"Here lies Violet. I'll avenge her no matter what! Zyan"_

Soren touched his forehead. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Don't try to sneak up on me. What is it Stefan?"

Stefan stroked the hilt of his blade and grinned. He put a hand on Soren's shoulder, which Soren slapped away abruptly. Not the least bit displeased, Stefan laughed and patted Soren on the head. Soren didn't want to know if the pat was in a mocking manner or affectionate. Both were distasteful in his opinion.

"Kaethe had godparents for about a year to look after her, after the father left. Her mother died of an illness, a simple flu that hadn't been treated properly. I bet you're curious as to how I know this." Soren nodded his head. "Volke may be a bodyguard under hire… but I'm a family friend. Kaethe's mom always had this strong will to help the Branded. It was her calling of all things. Anyways, it was Vandal, Scorcher, and me, Hex. We had these little code names. Volke would always go off on his own gathering 'intelligence'."

Soren held up his hand and Stefan stopped. "Uh, could you go a little slower? Code names?"

Stefan chuckled, "Oh, of course!" He cleared his throat and continued, "So the three of us tended to venture around when we were younger. A lot younger. Kaethe lived near Gallia. In the desert in fact. After I heard about her mother's death… well, Kaethe was different. She was still kind and all, but she had this loneliness about her. I became a hermit just to hide my identity as a Branded. Nothing much behind my story."

"All of this, what does it have to do with me again?"

Stefan scratched the back of his head and answered, "Her godparents are your parents." Soren stared at him in surprise. He ran back to the center of the village. Soren looked around frantically for Kaethe and saw her arguing with Shinon again.

He ran up to her and demanded, "Who killed my parents? You know, I know you do!"


	6. 6: Poison of Hell

Kaethe stared at Soren, and Soren waited with a scowl. Soren stopped when he saw a dark aura surrounding his teacher. Tears were running from her eyes. Soren took a step back. He glanced around and noticed that nobody else was around except for Shinon. Had they all gone into that building? "Where did everyone go? Shinon?"

Shinon had a blank expression. He looked possessed. Soren waved a hand in front of his face, but he didn't respond. Instead he started walking towards the building Zyan had ran towards. _Is he under a spell...?_

Kaethe whispered, "You'll hate me. And you'll want to kill me. Because I couldn't save your parents just like my father couldn't save my mother." Soren reached for his tome and looked around frantically. He could feel someone's presence. It was an ominous one, filled with sorrow and pain. There were times he wished he didn't have such a strong connection with magic and its properties.

Soren watched as Kaethe began to walk towards the building. Soren tried to reach for her arm, but he couldn't grab a hold of her. Kaethe murmured, "Necromancy can also alter its user. Transparency is quite easy. All I have to do is make a timed contract with a wraith. You can't stop me, Soren. Not even Vandal or Hex know what's going on."

Soren pursued Kaethe and looked inside the building. The couple he had seen earlier had much calmer expressions now. The husband had silvery blue fur and resembled an older Ranulf. The mother had a sleek black coat and looked more like a beorc than a laguz. On the husband's forehead was a blue symbol, his wife a red symbol.

The mother stepped forward and asked, "Are you Soren? Thank you so much for looking after Zyan. My name is Rebecca. This is my husband Uriel. Once again, we would like to give our sincerest thanks." Soren frowned, but quickly smiled to the best of his abilities. Kaethe was standing to the side, the black aura engulfing her. She didn't look as ghastly, but she still wasn't smiling. Nobody else seemed to notice.

Soren quietly stated, "If you don't mind, I'd like to go outside for a walk. Would anyone like to accompany me?" Soren glanced at Kaethe every few seconds. He couldn't understand what was happening.

Stefan and Shinon both raised their hands. Soren shrugged and started for the door. He walked over to the pot on a fire and looked inside. He fell backwards in shock. The remains of a little girl with blackish violet hair were in the boiling water. Seared flesh, gaping wounds, how could arrows cause such damage? And who would try to cook the body till it was no more?

Soren stepped up and dusted his robes. A hand clamped over his mouth and he glanced up. A complete stranger had the nerve to come up and sneak behind him. The man wore a goldenrod cloak and he had a crimson braid that reached just below his shoulders. His cool blue eyes were offset by a diagonal scar that ran across his cheek.

"A common flu... pfft. She was infected by a rabid beast! A monster like you. It's all your fault my darling daughter was left without a mother!" Soren wrenched out of the man's grip and flipped through his tome. He called upon a thunderbolt. It crackled and came down from the heavens. However, it didn't hit its intended target.

Stefan and Shinon came rushing by. Shinon stopped, revolted by the resemblance the man had with him. A few battle scars more than him and a little worn, but they had an uncanny resemblance. Soren stared at Shinon's surprised expression. _No wonder Zyan thought Shinon was the murderer. Who could blame him for thinking so?  
_

The thing that had taken the thunderbolt for the man was a skeleton. It wore a spiked helmet, and it wielded a shield and sword. The sword was rusted and brittle. Nevertheless, the impact would have cut flesh. The skeleton ran towards Soren and the man raised his bow. Stefan rushed forward to intercept the arrow, but was stopped by a shout. "Leave this place, William!"

Kaethe walked outside, having everyone follow behind her. Rolf and Zyan exchanged glances as they looked at Shinon and the stranger. Volke rushed beside Stefan. "William? He's here?" Volke rushed beside Stefan and annouced, "William, keep this up and the contract is negated!"

Soren ran beside Kaethe and summoned a wind to blow away the skeleton. Kaethe ran towards the man and looked at Soren. She smirked and her eyes seemed to turn red. "Aww, I liked that puppet quite a bit. Didn't you, Father?" Soren's eyes widened and he lunged forth towards William with his knife. A skeleton rose forth from the earth, and stopped Soren in his tracks. This skeleton was much smaller than the last and had the frame of a little girl.

Soren glanced at the boiling pot, only to see that it had been knocked down and nothing was in it. "Kaethe, you killed Violet!" Kaethe's eyes flickered blue and a tear rolled down her cheek. She glanced away and the skeleton ran towards William, The Ebon Arrow.

Soren watched as the skeleton ran towards the killer. Mist was busy running around as well, checking for scratches for some reason. Shinon and Rolf tensed their grips on their bows. Zyan watched on in horror. Jill traded her lance for a javelin as Ranulf quickly transformed just in case. Volke held up his knife cautiously, and Stefan had his blade unsheathed.

The skeleton looked back at Soren with tears of blood coming from the eye sockets. The creature pounded at William's chest and howled in an echoing voice, mixed with a cackle. "Brother. I want to be with brother. Kill. You killed me. Now Violet can't wake up. Violet can never wake up. You'll never wake up, too!"

William glared at his daughter and ordered, "Call this thing off!"

Kaethe chuckled and winked at Soren. Soren watched her intently, hoping she wouldn't try anything stupid. "Father… you have to repent for your sins as do I." Soren gulped and started running towards Kaethe. Kaethe took an arrow tipped with poison from her father's quiver and eyed the green liquid carefully.

Soren pulled her away and shouted, "Fire at will!" Shinon and Rolf were the first to obey. Their arrows flew through the air and hit… something. William and held up the skeleton of Violet by the skull, and now two arrows were in her sockets. The skeleton screamed and thrashed. Jill's javelin missed by centimeters as William pivoted to the side. Volke and Stefan nodded to each as they rushed in.

William tossed the corpse to the side and whipped out a knife. He deflected the blows and tackled them to the ground. "Fools. You'll never kill me like that. Kaethe!" Soren linked his arms around Kaethe's wrist and attempted to drag her down with his weight. Kaethe moved just as easily, Soren dragging along the ground. The arrow Kaethe had taken from her father's quiver was hidden in a sash on her robes.

Soren watched as Kaethe embraced her father and whispered, "I'm taking you to hell with me." She whipped out the arrow and stabbed her father through the heart and wounded herself. "Ah, poison of the Dragonflame Flower. It'll wreak havoc on your systems, making dying hell itself. I wanted to change you… Father. But it was… too… late…"

Soren caught Kaethe in his arms and watched as William landed with a thud. Volke and Stefan kneeled beside him and sighed. Stefan mused, "He told me it was a flu. That lying…"

Soren touched Kaethe's cold forehead and whimpered. Her skin was pale and becoming blue. He had never seen such a vile poison. _Well, that's ironic. Dragonflame. She was scorched in the end. Scorched…_

Soren placed Kaethe's head on his lap and cried. He cried for the longest time ever. Zyan put a hand on Soren's shoulder, and Soren didn't bother to push it away. Mist walked up to Kaethe and tried her Restore staff. Kaethe's face looked a little less pale, but the sickly shade returned soon.

Soren bent forward and his tears fell on Kaethe's face. "Idiot. Idiot…! Why her? Why did she have to die to along with so many Branded? What kind of disease killed her mother? …why?"

Shinon stared at Soren and smacked him across the face. "This is your fault. If you were a bit more open, maybe a bit more willing, Kaethe would have tried even harder for you. Nice guys finish last, pah! But no, you mope and wallow in self-pity about being some kind of freak. Well you know what? You aren't a freak. You're our tactician. Suck it up and face that fact like a man!"

Soren touched his cheek and rubbed his eyes. "It's easy to be fond of her isn't it?" Shinon glanced away, but Rolf started laughing at him. Soren sighed and stared at Kaethe's lifeless body. With some help from Volke and Stefan, the three buried her next to Violet's grave.

Zyan rushed home to explain to his parents what had happened. They brought Soren into their arms and tried to comfort him. Soren declined them politely and waved good-bye to Zyan. "…I have some loose ends to tie up. A lot of loose ends." Soren smiled gently and looked at Shinon. Soren took a deep breath and for his first time, grinned in front of more than just one person. "I promise to visit."

Zyan rubbed at his eyes and hugged Soren. "Blasted human, I hate you!"

Soren pushed Zyan away and smirked. "Disgusting sub-human, I hate you, too!" They laughed and Soren said his final good-byes. Soren sighed and looked back at Kaethe's grave. How had this happened in just a few days? Most of the traveling took up those days, but now… Kaethe was gone.

Soren shook his head and looked at his companions. _I'll have to write about this story. Maybe others will want to hear it._


	7. 7: Epilogue

Soren closed the door to his office and waved good morning to Jill. "Do you need the key to the convoy?" Jill shook her head and held up a silver copy of Soren's master key. She bowed a little and walked off. Soren smiled softly and closed his eyes. _Has it been a month or two? I've completely lost track of time.  
_

Soren ran his fingers over the dusty banister. He blew his fingers and stared at his robes. Soren leaped onto the railing and slid all the way down. Kaethe would have loved to slide down such a long handrail. Everything always came back to Kaethe. Soren sighed and looked around.

Mist was busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm with some tips from Oscar. Soren watched her intently and grabbed a spice off the shelf. He added a dash of paprika, and smirked when Mist turned around. "I was going to do that!"

Oscar smiled at Soren and commented, "Well, at least he's developed a sense of taste."

Soren crossed his arms and sneered. Oscar held up his hands and grinned. "I beg your pardon?" Oscar and Mist laughed as Mist stirred the stew. Soren waved good-bye and left the kitchen. He walked out to the courtyard and saw Volke sparring with Sothe.

Sothe lunged forth and aimed for Volke's throat. Volke deflected his attempt and punched Sothe in the stomach. The young thief stumbled back, but leapt up ready for more. Volke glanced up and acknowledged Soren's presence. Soren waved and continued walking through the courtyard.

Lounging under a leafy tree was Stefan. Soren walked up to him and said, "Good morning, Stefan."

"Ah, hello. Isn't it nice to be young and carefree? Before you seemed as if ants were in your robes all the time." Stefan chuckled as Soren stuck his tongue out. "Oh, I guess Vandal hasn't told you. Go look for Shinon."

Soren cocked an eyebrow, but Stefan ushered him back into the castle and told him to go to the front. Soren grumbled and started walking to the entrance. He spun around and caught Ike following him. "Commander?"

"I just wanted to meet the woman who changed you so much."

Soren stared at the ground. "She died."

Ike laughed and pointed towards the infirmary. Soren curiously walked towards it. Rhys was standing beside a bed with his staff over a patient. Rolf was sitting in a chair calmly whereas Shinon was pacing back and forth impatiently. Shinon tapped his foot and asked, "Well? Is she all right or not?"

Rolf grinned and hummed in a sing-song voice, "I never knew you worried about people, Uncle Shinon. Why the sudden change and in a girl?"

Shinon glared at Rolf and Rhys quietly added, "There was a time Shinon and Gatrie worried about Titania. Rolf, why don't you go help Mist?" Rolf shrugged and started for the kitchen.

Soren sat down in Rolf's seat and glanced at Shinon. "Thank you."

Shinon rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, whatever."

Soren heard a few grumbles and stood up. He walked over to the side of the bed and waited. The patient had bandages all around her face and arms. "Funny thing about necromancy is, you can create an image of yourself upon a skeleton. Wah, Soren! I wanted the first thing I saw again to be you! Soren, Soren, Soren!"

Soren shook his head and muttered, "You're embarrassing yourself Kaethe. Shinon's here too, you know?"

Kaethe blinked and stated, "Oh. That's nice and all, but… Soren!" Soren moaned to himself as Kaethe went on and on about how much she loved him. Normally mothers weren't this doting… were they? Soren watched as Shinon left the infirmary with a snort. _Heh, he must be torn. Kaethe can be so insensitive when it comes to me. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing... right?_

Soren returned his attention upon Kaethe and asked, "Why do you have all those bandages?"

"I got a tattoo!"

"You what…?"

Kaethe asked Rhys to remove her bandages. Soren watched and Kaethe pointed at her forehead. She had a symbol similar to his but a flame scorched through her symbol. "I'm sorry you waited so long for me."

Soren walked closer and hugged Kaethe. Quietly he whispered, "What would I do without my mother?"

Kaethe shyly asked, "Soren…?"

"You knew my parents. Tell me about them. As they were your godparents, you're like mine…" Rhys left the room respectfully and closed the door.

Kaethe blinked and bonked Soren on the head. "No."

Soren scowled and insisted, "Why not?"

"You have to see Zyan one more time before I do anything for you."

Soren's eyes widened. "Uh-! I nearly forgot about… All right then. I shall agree to your terms." Soren grew silent. He looked at the bed sheets and then at Kaethe. "You scared me half to death, and I put on a waterworks display for the whole group. Kaethe. Honestly…"

Kaethe smiled her gentle motherly smile, and Soren melted in an instant. Of all the people he knew, Soren had never found one who could disobey their own mother.


End file.
